


Kristina Magi and the Cursed Mask

by Warbabymoon



Series: Kristina Magi [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cursed Mask - Freeform, Pre-Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-06-13 16:50:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15369003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warbabymoon/pseuds/Warbabymoon
Summary: Kristina did not know much about her family past her father, her mother, and her cousin Severus Snape. However, a supposed 'cursed' mask perhaps will have answers to Kristina's questions, although it will raise more questions than answer questions. With worry about being killed lingering over them, the cousins set out to destroy the mask before it destroys them.





	1. The Incident During Summer

**Chapter One  
** _The Incident During Summer_

It was the middle of the summer leading up to Kristina Magi's sixth year at Hogwarts. She was slowly coming to terms with what had happened the previous year, and she was able to teach herself to move past it. Something that Professor Snape was proud of her for doing. It was not as if he ever could do that himself. At least, he mused, Kristina was not going to become like him. In that aspect, anyways. However, she was just as smart as he was, as could be seen by the scores that she had earned on her O.W.L.s.

It was about mid-July when she got her scores back. Anxiety took over her at first, however, given how hard she had studied she had fought back for her calm and split the envelope open with the end of her wand. Now feeling fairly confident, she pulled out the parchment and examined it. After a few moments of reading the parchment, delight crossed her face and she jumped up and down from excitement. Turning around, she shouted down to the living room to get her cousin to come see. Professor Snape turned his head, looked at her standing with parchment in her hands and grinning from delight, and then he stood up.

"How many O.W.L.s?" he asked her.

"Nine!"

"Brilliant!" Professor Snape rushed up to see what she got her OWLs in.

When Kristina handed over the parchment, Professor Snape glanced over all of it and double-checked her counting. Indeed, she had nine OWLs. However, he did scrutinize her grade for Arithmancy, though remembered she only took it as a challenge to herself and not go into a career dealing with it.

 _Kristina Astrid-Leigh Magi_ _has achieved:_

 **Astronomy O**  
Charms O  
Defense Against the Dark Arts E  
Herbology E  
History of Magic O  
Potions O  
Transfiguration E  
Ancient Runes E  
Arithmancy A  
Divination E

"An A in Arithmancy," Professor Snape teased her.

"Hey, you know exactly why I took it," Kristina told him.

"You said you wanted Arithmancy classes this year? You think your teacher is going to allow you to proceed?" Professor Snape asked.

"Well...I'm not looking to get a N.E.W.T. in it," Kristina shrugged at Professor Snape.

"Alright..." he sighed. "However, I am proud of you for the grades you did make. Don't know how you managed with History of Magic, Professor Binns is rather dull."

"History is interesting," Kristina shrugged. "Reading through the book on my own probably helped a bit."

"Perhaps so," Professor Snape agreed.

"So now I know for a fact that I am going to be able to take the classes I want this year," Kristina placed a hand on her chin. "I'm interested to see where Alchemy goes."

"It's much more difficult than potion-making," Professor Snape warned. "Even more precise and subtle than potion-making."

"I know," Kristina nodded.

"I know...I've already asked you this, and you most likely have the same answer, however...are you  _sure_  you can handle alchemy?" Professor Snape asked.

"Of course," Kristina smiled. "I'm ready for the challenges it presents to me."

"Alright," Professor Snape nodded. "If you are certain."

"I am," Kristina assured him.

X X X

A couple weeks later, Professor Snape took Kristina to Diagon Alley to get her supplies for that year. When they arrived, they were surprised to discover it was bustling more than usual, even for the very beginning of August. Both of them exchanged glances as they passed through. Kristina clutched her bag of currency and kept close to Professor Snape as they walked. Trying to get through was difficult, and Kristina and Snape bumped into people more often than not. At one point, Kristina noticed that many of the people there had newspapers clutched in their hands.

"What on Earth is all of this ruckus about?" Professor Snape wondered.

"I don't know," Kristina admitted. "But I feel as though it has to do with something in the newspaper."

"Huh?" Professor Snape looked around and noticed what Kristina had.

Kristina had walked up to a newspaper stand and picked up a copy of the  _Daily Prophet_. She paid the one sickle for it and brought it back over to her cousin. Together, they stood on the side, away from people, and read the front page. What struck both of them as odd was the fact that the image on the cover page was nearly a blur.

"That is curious," Professor Snape muttered.

"That is," Kris agreed.

"Headline:  _Escaped Cursed Mask Causing Problems at Hogwarts_ ," Professor Snape read out loud.

"That does not bode well," Kristina grumbled. "So...does this mean that parents are fearful of the mask harming their students? And is that why they've swarmed here? What do they expect to get?"

"I don't know if it is that simple, my child," Professor Snape reminded gently.

"It says right there it's already knocked the heads off of statues at Hogwarts..." Kristina pointed out, pointing at the sentence.

Professor Snape looked and blinked, "Well...that is certainly..."

"Shield charms? I don't think those will work half as well..." Kristina murmured. "Hm..."

"I think they're all here for the newspapers," Professor Snape shrugged.

"Perhaps..." Kristina sighed, stuffing the newspaper into her bag. "Well this certainly is going to be a fascinating year..."

"I'd rather hope not," Professor Snape sighed. "I don't know how much more trauma you could deal with."

"That...is also true," Kristina sighed as they went to get her new robes, after her set from last year was burned through and through by the hands of Alex Northam. Just because of her trauma in December, apparently meant to Alex that Kristina needed more trouble. She released a fire crab into the bathroom while she was in there and being unable to handle the crab, she ended up with severe burns and a half-burned set of robes. She was permitted to not wear her robes for the remaining five days of school, since it would take awhile to get exact measurements and get the new robes sent back out. And her other two were in desperate need of repair from years of abuse.

"Did Alex get expelled this year?" Kristina asked.

"She did," Professor Snape answered.

"Good," Kris muttered. "I'm glad."

"Me too," Professor Snape agreed.

"So this year should be a lot better?" Kristina wondered as they stumbled into Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions.

"Well, that  _is_  the hope," Professor Snape responded with a nod. "However, with this...cursed mask, I wonder what kind of chaos is going to be made  _this_  year."

"I dunno..." Kristina mumbled as they approached Madam Malkin.

As she turned around and prepared a greeting for them, she realized she was looking at Kristina Magi, whom she'd only seen once before she started her first year at Hogwarts. That time with her father  _and_ her mother, but not Snape. Not that time. After a few moments of thought, she remembered that Kristina had lost both parents the previous year by the hands of the Ministry. The woman blinked in surprise at her.

"Miss Magi," she nodded. "It's been five years!"

Kristina gave an awkward smile, "Yeah...I uhm, haven't had the need for new robes since I stopped growing in '81. Wore the same one for what, five years, Severus?"

"Indeed," Professor Snape nodded.

"Oh?" Madam Malkin raised an eyebrow.

"Until June, when a former friend and serious bully stole a fire crab from the Care of Magical Creatures class and set it loose upon the girls' bathroom, where I was not suspecting a fire crab to actually be..." Kristina sighed, touching her face gently. "Scars mostly have healed but I need new robes, unfortunately."

"I see. Well, come! I'll help tailor a new one for you to fit as perfectly as the first set did!" Madam Malkin smiled.

"I still have not quite figured out how she smuggled it..." Professor Snape mused to himself, following as Madam Malkin lead Kristina off to get a new set of school robes.

"Ravenclaw, correct?" Madam Malkin asked.

"Mhm. Oh, could I get a new blazer too?" Kristina asked.

"Of course!" Madam Malkin smiled.

When she stood in place for the tailoring, Madam Malkin came back with the clothing and placed them on her. First, she worked with the grey blazer. Tucking and hemming until it sat comfortably on Kristina's petite frame, accenting her toned and wiry appearance. After Madam Malkin finished, she allowed Kristina a couple of moments to move about in her blazer and for Professor Snape to examine her himself.

"This okay?" Kristina asked. "Feels great. I feel...kinda hot. Like, in the beautiful way not the, I'm sweating bullets...way..."

"Eh, yes, you look great," Professor Snape tried to hide the embarrassment at the comments about herself she was making.

"Oh, Severus! It's great for a girl of her age to have such confidence in her appearance," Madam Malkin giggled at him. "Not many do!"

"Y-Yeah..." Professor Snape sighed. "Never thought I'd live to see the day she said that about herself. I'm concerned boys will look at her..."

"Oh give me a break, Severus," Kristina muttered. "You know they have been. You've seen them. They make comments...like how my breasts are too big...and a few wish to...have...coitus with me."

Professor Snape crossed his arms, "Oh? Do tell..."

"I feel uncomfortable with those comments," Kristina added. "I don't like them at all."

"As much as I'd like to say 'boys will be boys'," Madam Malkin started. "They do not have any right to make you feel uncomfortable."

"I don't like the idea of coitus," Kristina mumbled. "It's not interesting. I'd rather be reading and learning. Drawing. Writing."

"Indeed, you would," Professor Snape agreed.

"I like to feel hot but it's for myself, not for those stupid boys," Kristina offered a contemptuous expression. "I don't want a romantic relationship."

Madam Malkin laughed at Kristina's expression in the mirror and Professor Snape swallowed his amusement.

"Wow! I've never seen a girl with that look when talking about a relationship!" Madam Malkin grinned.

"That's...well...my cousin, for you, Madam Malkin," Professor Snape agreed.

"Well...I just don't think I'm the kind of girl who would go for a relationship," Kristina shrugged. "Platonic? Yeah. Other than that, no way."

"Alright, let's get your robes next," Madam Malkin told her.

"Shoes?" Professor Snape asked suddenly.

"Yeah, in a bit," Kristina agreed.

"Is there  _anything_ else you need while we are here?" Professor Snape asked her.

She shook her head, "Mh-mh. I have decent summer clothes still and all of my ties are still in fair condition."

"I'm making sure..." Professor Snape sighed.

When Madam Malkin returned with a Ravenclaw robe, she began tailoring it to Kristina's petite frame. Suddenly, a couple of students walked in, chatting about something that caught Kristina's attention. Her eyes peered over and she found the set of students who were speaking. Two were Ravenclaws, and the other two were Hufflepuffs. She recognized the bubble gum-pink hair on one of the Hufflepuffs: Nymphadora Tonks. She seemed interested in what her friends were on about. And so was Kristina, at this point.

"...They say that the mask was actually made by Orion Magi," the other Hufflepuff started.

"Who the hell is Orion Magi?" a Ravenclaw asked.

"My great-grandfather?" Kristina asked Professor Snape.

The group looked over at Kristina, Snape, and Madam Malkin. Kristina's face flushed of color when she realized she was too loud.

"Er..."

"Not that it is any of  _their_  business, but yes..." Professor Snape gently told Kristina.

"Kristina Magi?" Tonks asked.

"Uh...hi, Tonks..." Kristina blushed. "Passed by ya a few times, never formally met have we?"

"Wotcher!" Tonks grinned. "I'm so glad to finally meet Kristina Magi."

"Uhm..." Kristina looked at Snape, who simply shrugged. "I suppose I'm honored?"

"Considering you kicked that demon's ass, and never got into Azkaban for it!" Tonks's eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh! And you're super smart. Super smart and cunning. And that was what helped you kick that jerk of a demon's ass."

"It wasn't  _all_ me," Kristina shuffled in her shoes uncomfortably, causing Madam Malkin to accidentally poke Kristina with the needle.

"Oh! Sorry!" Madam Malkin apologized quickly. "You moved."

"N-No," Kristina shrugged it off. "My mistake."

"She lost her parents last December, ya know," the other Hufflepuff looked at Tonks. "I think she has a bit of bravery being able to take that...Smart like Ravenclaw, cunning like Slytherin, and brave like Gryffindor."

"I wouldn't say I was brave," Kristina admitted. "I did it because I had to, and it was the right thing to do."

"Do  _you_  know anything about the mask?" the eldest of the two Ravenclaws asked.

"No," Kristina shook her head. "I don't even know much about my family past my dad and mum. And..." She gestured at Snape, "My cousin."

"Oh yeah! He's your cousin," Tonks remembered. "Professor, do you know anything about Orion Magi?"

"Other than the fact that my grandmother married him before my grandfather? No," Professor Snape's voice was scalding hot, causing Tonks and her friends to flinch.

"Why do you suspect my great-grandfather had something to do with it?" Kristina asked. "I'd never heard of a mask made by him, let alone anything about the mask itself."

"Someone within the  _Daily Prophet_  said that it had the name "Magi" inscribed in it," Tonks told her. "Hey, if you ever want to find out more about it I would love to help you, Magi. Can I call you Magi? Right?"

Kristina nodded.

"Sure," Kristina smiled. "Thank you for the offer, Nymphadora."

Tonks cringed, "Oh please don't call me Nymphadora."

"Er...right...Tonks," Kristina's face turned pink. Then, she quickly changed the subject, "Did you guys ever believe any of the crap being spread about me?"

"No, not particularly," the two Ravenclaws told her.

"Yeah, no," Tonks shrugged. "It was an obvious ruse by a really bad liar. Even for a Slytherin. Crikey."

"Indeed," Professor Snape sighed. "How could she have  _ever_ been a Slytherin? I wish I had the answer to  _that_ riddle."

"Well..." Tonks sighed. "Nice to finally meet you, Kristina. Gotta go. I need new robes!"

"WAIT." The other Hufflepuff started. "Tonks! Wasn't there something about Kristina you wanted to ask her?!"

"Wait, what?" Tonks paused in thought. "WAIT. You're right! Kris, is it true you're a Metamorphmagi?"

"A Metamorphmagi?" Kristina asked. "N-No. Well. In a way, yes, but for a different reason. I wasn't born that way, the demon I had kinda...made me that way...and nobody's been able to figure out how to reverse what was done to me. However, it doesn't seem to be at all dangerous and therefore everyone's safe."

Tonks gasped, then ran up and hugged Kristina, "I knew I was forgetting why I was so happy to meet you. That is PROPER awesome!"

Kristina let out a surprised squeak at Tonks and the pain that followed from Madam Malkin messing up, because of Tonks. Madam Malkin glared at Tonks and her face turned pink with embarrassment.

"Er, sorry, Madam Malkin..." she apologized. "I thought you had stopped for a few moments."

Madam Malkin grabbed her wand and muttered, " _Episkey_ " and the wound Kristina had disappeared within seconds.

"I'd wash this when you get home, to make sure the blood didn't soak through," she warned Kris.

"Was it that bad?" Kris asked.

"Eh, a little bit," Madam Malkin shrugged.

"Okay, so uhm. Totally see you around, eh Kristina?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah, definitely," Kristina nodded.

"Great!" Tonks grinned and ran off.

X X X

After Professor Snape helped Kristina obtain her textbooks and clothing, they went home and examined the newspaper cover again and reread the article. This time, Kristina read through it and scrutinized every detail she could while she sipped on her soup. Professor Snape leaned forward and drew his spoon near his mouth, but taking a moment to glance up at his cousin and eye her in curiosity. After he sipped on his soup, he glanced down and replaced his spoon in the dish.

"What do you plan to find out from the article, my child?" he asked her.

"Something about my great-grandfather," she responded. "Any bit of detail I can squeeze out."

"And?" Professor Snape raised an eyebrow.

Frustrated, Kristina threw the paper down on the table, "Nothing. Not any information on him worth a damn."

"Perhaps, then, if you are that bent on finding out information on your great-grandfather, you ought to look at school records and perhaps old  _Daily Prophet_  articles..." Professor Snape responded coolly.

"I mean, I still don't even know why my grandmother never mentioned your father," Kristina ignored his suggestion. "She should've. It would be nice to know about my family. No matter how screwed up it all is..."

Exhaling in exasperation, Professor Snape picked his spoon back up and sipped his soup some more.

"I don't know why either, Kristina," he finally responded after a few minutes. "To make you feel better, I have no idea why my mother ever married that rude piece of muggle filth of a father...He was abusive, a drunkard...I think he even hated wizards, if I recall correctly..."

"Did he know your mom was a witch?" Kristina asked.

"I believe he did," Professor Snape admitted. "He screamed at her and threw a potion bottle against the wall...where I was cowering...It broke, but it didn't harm me."

Kristina fell silent: how was she supposed to react to that piece of information? Blinking at him, she went back to eating and she shoved the newspaper away.

"I know you're frustrated..." he told her, switching back to the original conversation. "However, I am not certain that getting into this mess with a cursed mask belonging to your great-grandfather is going to do you any good. Not after the events of last year."

"You're right," Kristina agreed after a hesitant pause. "I don't need another last year..."

Professor Snape nodded in agreement as they both finished their soups.

"Try not to think about the cursed mask," he told her. "It's not worth your sanity this year."

Kristina flicked her wand at her bowl and carefully lifted it up and sent it to the sink, where she cast a cleaning spell on it. Professor Snape did the same thing she did and then stood up.

"Alright, suppose it's time to get ready for bed," he told her.

"Yeah?" Kristina looked at the time. "I suppose so..."

They both grabbed a glass of water and Professor Snape placed his arm around Kristina's shoulders carefully. Together, they headed to their rooms and split off for the night.

X X X

Kristina was fast asleep almost as soon as she hit the pillow. It was more or less a surprise: she did not exactly "feel" tired. Once upon a time, Kristina thought that sleeping was sometimes better than reality, until the events of the previous year. Left with nightmares about her parents, about the demon, about Azkaban, Kristina could not look forward to sleeping anymore. Usually, she had to drink a sleeping potion. Tonight, it slipped her mind.

The dream she had a few hours in was vague and blurry. There were muffled voices, a flash of bright green. Kristina struggled to catch everything. All she could catch was the occasional couple of words and at first, a sense of jubilation. The words, Kristina presumed, was words of excitement and elation. She strained her ears to listen.

"...it's done..." came a heavy Scottish-accented voice. "...alchemy...s and some of this...did it...Perhaps this will..."

The jubilation faded and was replaced with fear, horror, and, much to Kristina's surprise, death. Screams rang out in the dream, and Kristina doubled over, clutching her ears.

"No! No! Orion! ORION!"

The woman's voice pierced her ears and instilled a sharp pain in her heart.

"We need to obliviate her," came a voice.

"She should never have married the Alchemist," said another voice.

Dazed, Kristina glanced around. She still could not see worth a damn in the dream, but soon enough she was greeted with a semi-lucid sight. It was a mask, appearing as though it was from a Nordic origin. Intrigued, Kristina dropped her hands and approached it. The cacophony of screams had ceased as Kristina approached the mask. It stayed still in thin air. Curiosity made her reach a hand out to touch it.

Before she knew it, the mask zapped and burned her hand. Kristina jerked her hand away, collapsed onto her knees, and screeched in pain. Tears filling her eyes, she glanced back up at the mask.

"I killed Orion," it told her. "And I will kill and destroy whatever else gets in my way."

Kristina remained speechless.

"You and your cousin are next," the mask declared.

"Don't hurt him!" she screamed at the mask.

The mask dissipated and what appeared in its place horrified Kristina. A scene lay before her of Professor Snape dead with a slit across his throat and his heart ripped out. Beside him was her and both of her cats, facing the same fate he did. She covered her eyes and screamed as loud as she possibly could, waking herself up in the process.

"No! No!" she cried, sitting up as fast as she could without consciously recognizing what she was doing. "Severus! SEVERUS! KISMET! SNARF!" Her voice was a high-pitched screech.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps rushing to her room and then a voice. It was Professor Snape's smooth voice to calm her down.

"Kristina! What happened? What's wrong?!"

Shaking, Kristina pulled her hands off of her head and she panted. Professor Snape had silently turned on her lights and she could see his dark shape from the corner of her eye. She looked at him, sprung to her feet, and raced over to hug him tightly. Sobbing, she buried her face in his chest and refused to speak.

"Kristina, my dearest, what is wrong?" Professor Snape asked with a gentle voice.

She clutched his dark shirt and felt the pain in her hand scorch its way up her arm. Sniffling, she tried to recollect herself.

"N-Nothing, it...it was just a bad dream," she lied.

"Kristina, I know better," Professor Snape told her sternly. After attempting to search her thoughts, he realized she had practiced her Occlumency because he could not penetrate her mind.

"I told you, it was just a bad dream," she told him again in a scalding hot voice, wiping her face.

Professor Snape crouched to look at her at eye-level.

"You expect  _me_  to believe that?" he asked her. "You've practiced your Occlumency: you don't want me to see whatever it is you experienced in your dreams. I would like to help you."

Kristina shook her head quickly, "No. I don't want to worry you."

"Are you certain, my dear?" he asked her with a softening expression.

"Mhm..." Kristina nodded, swallowing hard.

Professor Snape put a hand on the back of her head and drew her in for a forehead kiss, "Fine. I suppose I can't make you tell me."

His eyes were suddenly drawn to her hands and he saw a serious burn on her left hand.

"Kristina, where did that burn come from?" he asked her softly.

She flinched but Professor Snape, calm as ever, stood up and exited her room to find his burn-healing paste. Kristina was surprised by his sharp eye: she did not even think the burn was real. Eyeing her hand, she examined the scorch marks and was surprised that it covered her whole hand. Behind her, Kismet yawned and rested her head in her paws. Kismet seemed unperturbed by what was going on around her.

Moments later, Professor Snape returned with the burn-healing paste and he gestured at her bed.

"Sit," he told her.

Obeying, she backed up back into her bed and sat down beside her cat. Kismet opened one eye to glare at her but closed it to sleep. Her tail twitched in annoyance. Professor Snape opened the jar and stuck his fingers in it, crouching in front of his cousin again. Then, with his free hand, he grabbed her by her wrist and began rubbing the paste on the burns. She tried to clench her hand but he stopped her with a glance.

"Don't, you'll make the burn worse," he told her.

"Will you think me mad if I told you...I saw the mask in my dreams?" she asked him sheepishly.

Professor Snape glanced back down at her hand and spread more of the paste on it. Swallowing hard, he shook his head.

"I was afraid that would happen," he admitted.

"I tried to touch it...that's why my hand is burned," Kristina told him.

"Don't do that again," he told her, taking a cotton bandage out from his pocket and wrapping her hand up in it.

"Uncle Severus..." Kristina started.

"Hm?" he did not look up from wrapping her hand.

"It...it said that we're its next victims..." she admitted with a shaky voice.

Professor Snape stopped and glanced up, "What do you mean?"

Kristina breathed shakily, her lips trembling as she tried to find the right words. The images haunted her but she knew she had to tell him.

"It showed me...a vision of sorts," she choked. "You, me, and both cats...our throats slit, our hearts ripped out. It said that it killed Orion, and it would destroy and kill whatever else got in its way as it goes for us."

Professor Snape took her hands, "I won't allow it to happen, Kristina."

"You promise?" Kristina asked.

"I promise," Professor Snape promised her, sweeping a lock of her hair behind her ear. "You, just calm down and get back to sleep, alright?"

"Mhm," Kristina nodded.

Professor Snape kissed her forehead again, "Goodnight, my child."

"Goodnight, Severus..." Kristina rubbed at her eyes.

Professor Snape stood back up and Kristina curled back up under her blankets. Professor Snape turned and walked out, turning out the lights and closing the door behind him. Anxiety built back up in Kristina but she tried to force it back down: it was just a dream. Professor Snape would not allow something like that to happen. They would be fine.


	2. Back To School

**Chapter Two**   
_Back to School_

Kristina did not have another dream like that for a few weeks following that night. However, she remained diligent as the news of the mask continued coming through. Every week, an owl would arrive at the house with a copy of the  _Daily Prophet_. Kristina kindly paid the owl and took the newspaper. Curiosity simply could not be satisfied in the young Ravenclaw. Any updates about the mask had to be known by her. She absolutely  _had_  to know. Although Professor Snape would prefer that she did not learn about what was going on with the mask; he did understand that after the dream she had, she was not taking any chances.

The morning they were going to King's Cross, Kristina was carefully convincing both cats to get in their cages. Ivory, Kristina's owl, did not need any convincing: she liked her cage. But the cats  _abhorred_  their cages. This led to Professor Snape and Kristina to both trick the cats into getting into their cages. After both cats raced into the cages from fear, both Snape and Kristina quickly closed the doors and breathed in relief. Exchanging amused glances, Professor Snape patted Kristina's head.

"That was an  _excellent_  plan, my child," he praised her. "I admire your resourcefulness."

Kristina smiled, "We gotta get going, Severus. I'm excited for my classes this year. Stack the cages, I need to do one more check in my room."

"Fine, I suppose," Professor Snape sighed and stood up.

Kristina followed and rushed back to her room for one more glance. When she popped up in her room, she glanced around one more time. At first, she was ready to declare herself ready to go. However, something caught her eye and she looked in its direction. Her gaze fell upon a gold shard on the floor. Bending down, she picked it up and brought it to her eyes to examine it closely. It was about the size of a key but it was sharp. A few moments passed before she heard her cousin shouting up the stairs.

"We have to leave, child!"

"Er, right!" Kristina shoved the fragment into her pocket and rushed back out.

X X X

As they rode the Hogwarts Express, Kristina sat quietly beside Professor Snape fidgeting with the fragment she found in her room. He glanced over at her and eyed the fragment with curiosity.

"Where did  _that_ come from, my child?" he asked.

"I dunno," Kristina admitted. "Found it in my room."

Professor Snape held out a hand to examine it himself and Kristina dropped it in his hand. He weighed it in his hand.

"It's made of gold, yet it is a heavy but durable metal," he commented. "Someone formidable in alchemy must have made this piece. I think this was transmuted from a heavy metal such a lead..."

"I don't care what it's made of," Kristina told him. "I want to know how that got into my room..."

"Well, I can certainly tell you it was not by my hands," Professor Snape handed it back.

"It's strange..." Kristina commented.

"Wotcher, Kristina!" came a voice. Glancing up, she saw Tonks with her usual bubblegum-pink hair. Behind her, Erin Hartnell, Kristina's best friend, was attempting to squeeze past to sit behind Kris and Snape.

"Oh, are you Tonks?" Erin asked, blushing from embarrassment.

"In the flesh and blood!" Tonks grinned. "Ah, I suppose you are Kris's friend..."

"Erin Hartnell," Erin nodded.

"Oh dear me," Professor Snape grumbled. "Miss Tonks, I hope you have done your summer assignments for me?"

"Ah—" Tonk's face flushed in realization. "Er, I just...I just wanted..."

"Go finish your assignments," Kristina told her gently. "I'll be here the entire time."

"Right..." Tonks agreed and dashed off to finish her potions homework.

Kristina giggled, "She's adorable."

"If you say so," Professor Snape grumbled.

"Hey, how've you been?" Erin asked Kristina once she got settled into her seat in front of the two of them.

"Well..." Kristina stopped when she heard Professor Snape trying to fight back a sneeze. Startled when he finally did sneeze, she looked at him with her eyebrows raised. "Are you okay, Uncle Severus?"

"Hm?" Professor Snape rubbed at his nose in annoyance with his arm. "Yes, yes. I'm fine."

"You sure?" he wondered.

"Yes," he nodded.

"Right..." Kristina shrugged. "Erin, you've surely heard about this cursed mask by now."

"Yeah," Erin nodded. "I noticed your last name in the first article but never mentioned you. Haven't been able to read any new articles. Anything new?"

"It was likely my great-grandfather Orion Magi," Kristina told her. "And, nothing really other than being spotted randomly in different—" Professor Snape sneezed again into the crook of his arm. When he sat back against the seat, he gave a long, exasperated sigh and put his face in both of his hands. Kristina and Erin both glanced at him in concern.

"Are you okay, Uncle Severus?" Kristina asked again, the concern evident in her voice.

He winced and sighed, "The Pepperup potion...bloody hell, I left the freshly brewed potion at home. Well, I should have some in my classroom."

"You're only sneezing," Kristina pointed out. "Well...I think..."

Professor Snape shook his head slowly, holding his head with only one hand now.

"My sinuses are hurting," he told her. "I can feel the pressure up against my forehead."

"Lie down, then," Kristina told him smoothly.

He glanced at her and teased her, "Alright, Severus."

Kristina reached into her suitcase and pulled out her favorite pillow from the bottom. Zipping the suitcase back up, she placed the pillow on her lap and gestured at her uncle to lie down. Surprise crossed his face but he knew better to argue with his cousin and he lied down on his back with his head on her pillow. Kristina smiled at him as he stared up at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he closed his eyes and rested the back of his hand on his forehead. He fell motionless and quiet.

"So I found this gold piece in my room before I left," Kristina tossed Erin the gold shard she found.

Erin caught it and examined it.

"Wow," she remarked.

"Uncle Severus says it was transmuted from something like lead," Kristina told her. "It's heavy, as he noted."

"It is," Erin agreed.

"All that I know about my great-grandfather is that he was an alchemist...and that he made this mask that's been in the news lately," Kristina admitted. "I still don't know much about my family past my mum and father. And Severus. I knew my grandparents for awhile, but then they passed away years ago. Getting any possible answers from them now is not really possible. I don't dare try and talk to my muggle biological grandfather."

"I wouldn't suggest it anyway," Professor Snape grumbled to her. "He's a proper bell-end."

"How would you know?" Kristina asked him.

"I've met him a few times, don't you remember?" Professor Snape asked. "Wait, no, you were too young to remember..."

Kristina poked him in the nose, "Hush and rest, you doofus."

He reached up and poked her back, "You don't get to tell me what to do."

"I do when you're not feeling well," Kristina clapped back.

"Touché..." Professor Snape yielded.

"Now shut up and rest," Kristina told him.

"Fine, Severus," he muttered, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. "You took after me you little shit..."

Kristina giggled and glanced at Erin.

"So?" she wondered.

"If this came off the mask, I'd say get rid of it," Erin tossed the shard back at Kristina, who caught it without even looking. "Throw it into the lake so no one else gets ahold of it."

"Yeah...you're right, Erin..." Kristina agreed. "I'll throw it in the lake before I take Uncle Severus to the classroom."

"Good idea," Erin concurred.

Kristina glanced down and saw pink slowly coloring his cheeks and his nose. Curious, she placed a gentle hand on his forehead and felt for his temperature. Professor Snape flinched at the touch of her hand but relaxed a bit after he realized what she was doing.

"First night back at school, and he ends up sick," Kristina muttered. "Jeez..."

"Yeah, well you're next," Erin pointed out. "I mean he's basically breathing on you."

"I don't care," Kristina shrugged. "I'll get over it."

"Alright..." Erin sighed.

X X X

Professor Snape sat up when Kristina prodded him awake. Glancing out the window, he realized that they were about to let the students off. Kristina took her favorite pillow and stuffed it back into her suitcase and made sure her suitcase was ready to take with her. Both of her cats were beginning to show signs of waking back up after their sedative potion. She leaned towards the cages and smiled at Snarf and Kismet.

"We're back at school, guys," she told them cheerfully.

"Gods I feel like absolute hell," Professor Snape rubbed his face, taking his luggage plus Snarf's cage.

Snarf began meowing pitifully, freaked out by being in the cage now. The brown, grey, black, and white tabby meowed at Snape as he stood up, as if he were demanding to be let out.

"No," he told the cat softly.

"Alright, let's go," Kristina told Snape, standing up. "Erin, I'll meet you back in the common room, huh?"

"Yeah," Erin agreed.

"If Professor Dumbledore asks, you know where we are," Kristina told her.

"Yep," Erin nodded. "Most likely Snape's classroom."

"Yeah," Kristina nodded. "Alright, Uncle Severus..."

"Make sure you—" Professor Snape sneezed. "Make sure you throw that thing in there as fast as you can...I don't know how much longer I can keep standing..."

"Of course," Kristina nodded as they exited the Hogwarts Express. First thing Kristina heard was Hagrid rounding up the first years. He spotted her and smiled, waving a giant hand at her.

"Nice teh see ye, Kristina!" he called.

"Hi Hagrid!" she responded, approaching the lake.

Snape watched over their stuff as she took out the gold shard from her pocket. Clutching it, she eyed it until she finally made herself pitch it across the lake like a baseball. It flew over the lake and plopped into the water twenty-five meters away. Turning to Professor Snape, he gave her a quick nod and she returned to join him. The two of them hurried towards the castle. Kristina kept pace with her cousin, knowing if she moved any faster he'd fall behind. And if he fell behind, he would likely collapse and Kristina could not allow that to happen. A few times he stumbled, struggling to keep himself steady. Eventually, Kristina took the luggage and got under his arm to help him keep moving. Now, she could feel him stifling a coughing fit.

After entering the castle, they headed towards the dungeons and crossed towards the potions classroom. Professor Snape seemed weaker the more he walked, and Kristina was beginning to suspect it was not really a common cold but the flu.

"Uncle Severus, are you  _sure_  the Pepper-up potion will be useful here?" she asked him.

"Well..." Professor Snape trailed off. "It should..."

"Alright, if you say so..." Kristina sighed. "I'll find a cough-soothing potion too; your coughing will drive me nuts and your Slytherins!"

Snape nodded in agreement: he was too tired to argue with her. When they walked in, Kristina cast a spell to light candles in the classroom and once there was enough light, she pointed for Snape to sit down.

"I will bring the stuff over here," she told him, setting their things aside. Snarf continued crying, but Kismet sat still in pure annoyance. Ivory hooted soothingly at Snarf, but he was not having it. "Blessed goddess Snarf..." She pointed her wand at Snarf and willed him to calm down. Soon, he began to stop meowing and Kristina breathed a sigh of relief.

When she turned, her cousin was sitting at a table, resting his head on his hand in annoyance. Quickly, she ran around his classroom for his cauldron, the mortar and pestle, and and, once it was obtained, she set it over a bunsen lighter. Thinking, she listed off the ingredients to the Pepper-up potion and then began searching for them, while verifying with Snape that was what she needed.

"Crushed Bicorn horns?" she asked.

"Yes," he agreed. "Two pinches to be exact."

Kristina pulled the ingredient off its shelf.

"Mandrake root," she grabbed next. "And fire seeds..."

After pulling the first three ingredients, she rushed over to the cauldron and set the stuff down in front of Professor Snape. Turning around, she began looking for the rest.

"Sprigs of English Thyme?" she asked.

"Three sprigs," he responded.

"Three sprigs..." she grabbed three and brought them back over to him.

Then, she returned for the last ingredient for the first potion. Looking around, she eventually found the salamander blood and brought it back over.

"Okay, since we have to wait thirty minutes to let the first part brew, I'll gather the stuff for the cough soothing potion after this," she told him.

Professor Snape nodded absent-mindedly, trying to avoid the thought of his stomach presenting signs of nausea. If he did not think about it, maybe he would not vomit.

"Will you last that long?" Kristina asked, eyeing him with worry. "You look like you're ready to puke."

"Get on with the potion," he snapped. After realizing his tone, he added much gentler, "My dear..."

Kristina nodded and placed the Bicorn in the mortar. Then, she picked up the pestle and she began crushing it. Once it was crushed completely, she picked out a pinch of it and tossed it into her cauldron. And then another. Next, she tossed in the mandrake root. Turning on the bunsen burner afterwards, she heated the contents for ten seconds, counting the time in her head. Then, she left it to brew.

"Thirty minutes, starts now," she looked at the clock. "Alright, next is the cough potion."

After thirty minutes, the cough potion was finished and she offered that to Professor Snape first. Then, she began working on finishing the Pepper Up Potion. She tossed in three sprigs of English thyme into her cauldron and stirred it clock-wise four times. Next, she added in five drops of salamander blood and stirred counterclockwise twice. Lastly, she added four fire seeds to her cauldron, plopping them in one at a time every five seconds. That was when she let it sit for one minute and then turned off the bunsen burner. Scooping out a dose into a glass, she handed it over to Professor Snape and got ready to make him drink it. However, just as she handed it to him he jumped up and began running out of the classroom.

"Stay there!" he demanded her before he left.

"Severus? WAIT! Ah shit, come on!" Kristina groaned.

Annoyed, she sat on the table and crossed her arms, waiting for Snape to return. It was ten minutes before he came back into his classroom. When Kristina glanced up, she was shocked by his suddenly disheveled appearance. Now he was shivering and hugging his sides, willing himself to keep himself from vomiting any more. When he met Kristina's blue-eyed gaze, his grey eyes were pleading for help.

"Bottle up the potion," he rasped instead of asking for help. "I'm...I don't think it'll help me..."

"Should I get you to Madam Pomfrey?" she asked.

He shook his head, his hair sticking to his face from the sweat, "No...I'd like to go back to my room."

"Will I be allowed to escort you inside?" Kristina asked him.

He nodded, "As far as I know, yes... Please. Let's just get me there..."

"Of course, Uncle Severus..." she nodded, grabbing his luggage and getting under his arm. "I'm going to lock your classroom and come back for my stuff after I get you to your room. Just too much to lug around."

He nodded in agreement as they left his classroom. Before crossing over to the Slytherin dungeon, Kristina turned and cast the locking charm on the potions classroom and then led him over to the Slytherin dungeon. Professor Snape glanced up at the portrait and asked for the new password.

"Not with a  _Ravenclaw_  beside you!" the portrait hissed.

"She has an excuse," Professor Snape assured the portrait. "She's my cousin, and she is allowed into the Slytherin dungeon. If there is an issue with it, I suggest speaking to Dumbledore..." He added the last sentence with a sneer. "I have no time for games!"

"Fine," the portrait spat. " _Serpenta_."

" _Serpenta_ ," Professor Snape repeated, and the portrait swung open.

No one else was in the Slytherin common room, they noticed. Everybody must still be in the Great Hall. Kristina felt her cousin grab ahold of her shoulder: he was beginning to fade. Determined, Kristina put her arm around his waist and forced him to stay upright and pushed his luggage with her free hand. Now they were heading towards his quarters as a professor.

"Stay with me, Severus," she told him.

He grunted in acknowledgement as she continued leading him to his room. Once they were finally there, Kristina made him lie down in his bed and she pushed his stuff aside.

"Okay, let's get you under your blankets so you can be warm," she told him. Then, she cast a spell without actually speaking to get his blanket,  _Accio blanket_! His blanket from his luggage squeezed out after unzipping the top and flew straight into her hands. Amused with herself, she unfolded the blanket and draped it over her cousin. "Next time, Severus, let me fold your blanket. Seriously, you folded it so horridly..."

Professor Snape rolled his eyes at her, and she laughed at him.

"Okay. So, even though you declined going to Madam Pomfrey, I'm going to go visit her and ask for a potion for you," Kristina told him. "Will you be okay here by yourself? Do you need anything before I go?"

Professor Snape gave a weak cough and shook his head, "No, no, my child..."

"Okay, well...I'll be back in half an hour at the latest," she assured him. "Love you."

Professor Snape nodded, "Love you too, my child..."

Kristina quickly exited his room and closed the door behind her. There was no way she would let anyone see her cousin at his weakest. No, the Slytherin must know him as a strong man. Anxious, she left the Slytherin common room and rushed out.

"I'll be back," she told the Slytherin portrait. "I have to get him a potion."

" _Fine_ ," the portrait spat at her.

Kristina stuck her tongue out in response and rushed to the stairs and began running up to the main hall.


	3. Professor Magi

**Chapter Three**   
_Professor Magi_

When she passed by the Great Hall, she saw that everyone was still in there. Dumbledore was offering a speech, and she recognized a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Of course, when was there not a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? Jeez. Rolling her eyes, she rushed to the hospital wing and busted in.

"Madam Pomfrey?!" she called out.

She saw the nurse tending to her potions stash. Surprised, she glanced up and saw Kristina standing at the entrance.

"Miss Magi, it's a surprise to see you here so early in the school year," she remarked.

"Uncle Severus—I mean, Professor Snape—is sick. I need a potion to help him with his illness," she responded, running up to the school's nurse. "I made a Pepper-Up potion but before I could give it to him, he ran out of the classroom and puked in the bathroom. When he came back, he told me to bottle the potion up because it wasn't going to be any use to him. I don't have enough time to make another potion for him. Is there anything you can give me to bring to him? He didn't want to come, and he probably wouldn't have made it here even with my help anyway...He's fine in his room."

Taken aback by the situation at hand, after thinking about it she gave a slow nod to Kristina.

"What are his symptoms?" she asked.

"I think they're all reminiscent of the flu," she admitted. "Chills, vomiting, coughing, sneezing—well, no...he's stopped sneezing I think—uhhh fatigue...I think he's aching too...Ooh, and he has a fever!"

"Right, I have the precise potion he needs..." Madam Pomfrey nodded. Inclining her head, she turned around and headed towards her potions stash.

"I likely might end up sick as well," Kristina admitted too. "I let him rest his head on a pillow on my lap. He basically was breathing on me. And, I've stuck close to him the entire day..."

"I'll give you a vial of it too just in case," Madam Pomfrey agreed. "We don't need you getting sick as well."

Kristina nodded.

"He looks so pitiful," she admitted.

"I'm certain he does," Madam Pomfrey told her, bringing back the potions for her. "He needs to take one vial every eight hours for the next two days. Think you can get him to do that?"

"Yes ma'am," Kristina nodded.

Madam Pomfrey handed over the vials but held onto them before letting Kristina have them.

"Promise to get a photo or two of him being miserable, would ya?" she asked with a mischievous grin. "As proof that even the strongest seeming men are little wimps when they get sick."

Kristina giggled, "Oh come on, I couldn't do that to him!"

"You're right, that's downright mean," Madam Pomfrey agreed. "I was simply teasing. Here you go. Nine vials of this potion. Keep one for yourself, and if you show signs of the sickness come back for the other seven."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey!" Kristina thanked with a smile.

Bowing her head respectfully, she rushed out and hurried back towards the stairs. As she passed by the Great Hall, she noticed the students beginning to stand up and head for the entrance. Panicking, she darted to the stairs and ran back down to the dungeons. Stuffing one of the vials into her robe pocket, she scrambled towards the Slytherin Dungeon and approached the portrait again.

" _Serpenta_ ," she panted.

"Correct..." the portrait sighed and swung open. Kristina crawled inside and then rushed back towards her cousin's room.

"Uncle Severus!" she called as she approached his room. "I have the potions!"

She heard a faint moan in his room and she opened the door back up with a flick of her wand.

"Uncle Severus? Are you okay?" she asked him.

When she saw him in his bed, he was on his side and trying to hold back vomit. Kristina kicked his trashcan towards the bed and set the vials down.

"Uncle Severus, just let yourself puke..." she muttered to him, setting his vials down. "Holding back won't do you any good."

"Close...the door," he moaned.

"Jeez, you are a total mess when you're sick," Kristina grumbled, closing the door behind her.

Watching him struggle to even puke, she sat down beside him and combed her fingers through his hair, pulling it out of his face.

"You're fine," she told him.

"Cast the muting charm so no one hears us," Professor Snape told her.

"Yes sir," Kristina nodded and cast the charm.

It was not before long when he finally began retching. His whole body shuddered and Kristina kept a light grip on his hair while rubbing his back.

"You poor thing..." she commented gently.

She noticed that he was not puking anything out. Not that he had much in his stomach to begin with, she mused. Gently, she continued rubbing his back until he rolled back over onto his back. He gave a violent shudder as he pulled his blanket back up and she let go of his hair.

"Can you take one of these vials every eight hours, Uncle Severus?" she asked him finally.

He nodded, "Yes...I can..."

She silently cast, " _accio vial_ " and one of the vials shot into her hand. Then, she gave one to her cousin after popping the cork off. Cradling his head in the crook of her arm, she helped him keep his head up to drink the first vial.

"I'm going to leave you alone after you finish this," she told him. "Is that okay?"

He nodded, "Yes, yes...you have classes to attend to. Ah, before that...would you...tell the headmaster that I cannot start my classes tomorrow."

"Could Professor Moses substitute in?" Kristina asked.

"I suppose so, if he wants to," Professor Snape nodded. "I don't expect him to, though. He's got enough with his classes..."

"Mhm," Kristina agreed. "Alright, Severus...I'll leave you alone, and I'll come check on you in the morning. Alright?"

He nodded, "Thank you, my child..."

Kristina leaned over and hugged him, "Love you, Uncle Severus."

Weak, he raised a hand and patted the back of her head, and tried to kiss her cheek, "Thank you, Kristina. You are too kind to me..."

She kissed his cheek back, "It's what family does, Uncle Severus. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he replied with a weak voice.

Kristina stood up and left his room. Gently, she closed the door behind her and began walking back towards the common room. Now, there were Slytherins filtering into the room slowly. Many of them were new faces to her. As she entered the common room, all eyes were on her. Horror crossed their faces as they realized that there was a Ravenclaw in their common room.

"INFILTRATOR!" a few screamed at her.

"Wait!" Kristina held up her hands. "I have every right to be here!"

"What makes  _you_ think you're allowed in here?" a prefect sneered.

"Because I have Dumbledore's permission," Kristina snapped. "My cousin is your Head of House. And I wouldn't go bother him if I were you, he's sick with the flu. I might come down with it too, so I dare you to touch me."

A few of the kids jumped back.

"EWWW! SHE'S GOT COOTIES!" a first year boy exclaimed.

Kristina rolled her eyes so hard she almost gave herself a headache, "Yeah, come here ye little shit! I'll give you Professor Snape's cooties."

"NOOOOOO!" cried an older prefect.

"YOU WOULDN'T!" cried another Slytherin her age.

In the background, she could hear her friends Sara and Emily giggling at their horror. Horrified screams rang out over the idea of getting sick by Professor Snape. Eventually, Kristina clapped her hands to get their attention.

"SILENCE!" she yelled over them.

The room fell silent as horrified Slytherins stared at Kristina's sudden outburst.

"Now if you lot will _excuse_  me, I have to talk to Professor Dumbledore," she snapped and stalked towards the portrait. "And don't you dare stop me when I come check in on him again in the morning, or else I will have your asses."

None of the students piped up with any sort retort. They realized they could not stop her. Furious, Kristina left the common room and just as she left, she saw Dumbledore standing at the entrance, patiently waiting for her.

"Professor," Kristina greeted calmly. "I was just about to come looking for you."

He nodded.

"I still have permission to enter the Slytherin common room, right?" she asked, anxious.

Smiling, he nodded.

"Of course, Miss Magi," he told her. "I'm not here about you entering the Slytherin common room. Tell me, how is Severus?"

"Professor Snape is very ill," Kristina admitted. "He can't start his potions classes tomorrow, or Tuesday. Maybe not even Wednesday."

Professor Dumbledore's smile faded, but he gave her a curt nod.

"I see..." he agreed.

"I intend to visit him whenever I have a chance to," Kristina told him. "I must make sure he's taking the medicine Madam Pomfrey gave him. And make sure he's well," Kristina told him.

"You have every right to do so, Miss Magi," he told her. "Tell me, should his classes for this week be cancelled?"

"Well..." Kristina started.

"Or, could you do your cousin a favor and substitute in yourself?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

Kristina widened her eyes in shock, "M-Me? Professor, I couldn't possibly—"

"Miss Hartnell will kindly bring you your homework to work on during class times, if you could accept," Professor Dumbledore promised her. "I would ask Professor Moses, however, it is a difficult task for him to keep up with. And considering your skill with potions, I believe it to only be fair to allow you to help your cousin. Your skill, and your calm personality may help our first years adjust to the classes and to get started in their potions classes."

"I...I would be honored to take over for Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore," Kristina blinked in disbelief. "Thank you so much for your faith in my abilities. I won't let you or Professor Snape down."

Professor Dumbledore smiled, "Thank you, Professor Magi."

"Am I allowed to give and deduct points?" Kristina asked.

"For this week only," he nodded.

"And sit with the staff?" she asked.

"I wouldn't push it that far," Dumbledore had a glint of humor in his piercing blue eyes.

Kristina grinned, "I figured. Thank you, Professor."

Dumbledore nodded, "Goodnight, Miss Magi."

"Goodnight, sir," Kristina inclined her head.

Dumbledore left and Kristina headed over to the potions classroom to get her stuff. Casting ' _alohomora_ ' silently, she unlocked the door and entered the classroom.

"Alright, children, we're going back to Ravenclaw tower," she told the cats and her owl.

Casting ' _wingardium leviosa_ ' silently, she brought her stuff out of the potions classroom and out into the hallway. Then, she cast the locking charm on the classroom once again and began taking her stuff back to Ravenclaw tower. When she finally arrived, Kristina was nearly drained of energy. Luckily, someone had just got the door to open and all she had to do was stroll inside with her stuff. Getting inside, she immediately crossed over to the stairs and began heading down to the dormitories. She did not make any effort in greeting any of her friends: she was ready to pass out. Soon, she reached the room she and Erin had agreed to take again: the only one where there was only two beds. When she arrived, she discovered it had been expanded to allow three more students in the room, much to her dismay.

"Well that's rude," she grumbled.

"Hey, Kris!" came Erin's voice. "You're finally back!"

Kristina sat on a bed and opened up her cats' cages, "Hey, Erin..."

"Is Professor Snape okay?" Erin asked.

Kristina shook her head, "No...he's in his room right now, hopefully sleeping it off."

Kismet arched her back and jumped out of her cage, then hopping up into Kristina's bed. Like normal, Snarf darted out of his cage and under her bed. Stifling a yawn, she pulled out her pillow and her blanket from her suitcase and cast a spell on them to set themselves up on her bed.

"I'm going to be taking over his classes for the next few days," she told Erin.

"Really?" Erin asked.

Kristina nodded, "Mhm. Professor Dumbledore asked me to."

"Well, I'm glad we'll have potions class this week..." Erin commented.

"Yeah..." Kristina rubbed at her eyes. "I hope I don't get sick, or at least that I get sick after Severus recovers."

"I hope you don't get sick at all," Erin muttered as a couple of Ravenclaws filtered into their room. All three of them were Kristina's acquaintances: Sierra Lynn, Jordan Campbell, and Lowgan Fall.

"What? No one better be sick," Jordan commented.

"As far as I know, I'm not sick," Kristina assured Jordan.

"Sure," Jordan sighed and sat down on a bed. "This year all of the rooms are full."

"So we've noticed," Kristina muttered with disappointment, beginning to transfer her clothing to the dresser beside her bed and then her school stuff to the bed chest. Then, she shoved her luggage and cages under her bed. "It's fine, guys. We don't mind."

Sitting on her bed, she combed her hair back with her fingers and she sighed heavily.

"It's going to be a long week," she grumbled. "Alright... uhm...let's go to bed. I have to get up early to visit Professor Snape in his room...and to obtain his lecture stuff for the next few days..."

"Why do you need his lecture stuff?" Lowgan asked.

"I'm teaching his potions classes for the next three days," Kristina responded. "Dumbledore christened me an honorary professor for the next few days. Uhm. Professor Snape is sick...Don't ask me how I ended up as the honorary professor, but I expect all of you to attend my class!"

The girls all giggled and nodded.

"Yeah, fine," they agreed.

Everyone lied down in their beds and bade each other a good night. That was when Kristina quickly drifted off into a light sleep.

X X X

The next morning, Kristina woke up the earliest to get to breakfast. She needed her school year schedule from Professor Flitwick before she went and checked on Professor Snape. Although she was a student, she was given leeway in wearing her old trench coat over her uniform rather than the robe. As she ate alone at the Ravenclaw table, Professor Flitwick walked up to her and handed her this year's schedule.

"You did Ravenclaw proud with your O.W.L. scores!" he praised her. "I hope to see you in charms next week Miss Magi, since Dumbledore has given you a teaching task for the next few days."

"Thank you, sir," Kristina smiled.

"I know you can do it," Professor Flitwick grinned.

"Thank you for your vote of confidence, Professor," Kristina thanked.

Professor Flitwick nodded and headed over to the next sixth year Ravenclaw to give them their schedule. Quickly, Kristina finished up her breakfast and stood up to go to the Slytherin dungeon. She took her schedule and stuffed it into her backpack as she walked out of the Great Hall. Slowly, students were beginning to filter out of their common rooms and towards the Great Hall. Anxious, Kristina headed down the stairs until she got to the lower floor and she crossed over towards the Slytherin dungeon.

"Good morning," she greeted the portrait cheerfully. " _Serpenta_."

The sleeping painting simply glowered at her as it opened the door for her. He was too tired to complain about the Ravenclaw returning again. When she stepped inside, there were some Slytherins in the common room, about to leave. At first, they were startled to see her, but a few hushed whispers reminded them that she was allowed to be in there. Inclining her head awkwardly, she raced off to her cousin's room and knocked when she was at the door.

"Uncle Severus?" she asked.

Not getting a response, she sighed.

"I'm opening your door," she told him and opened it with a flick of her wand.

When the door opened she entered with caution and closed the door. Gazing towards his bed, she noticed him sleeping with his face half-buried in his pillow. So far today he did not appear to be doing much better. She crossed over to his bed and sat down beside him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder and rubbing it soothingly. Then, she stopped and rested her hand on his shoulder again.

Leaning in towards his ear, she whispered, "Uncle Severus, wake up please."

He grunted and reached his hand up to touch hers, "Kris...tina...you're here...early, my dear."

"Mm," Kristina nodded in agreement. "Not that I care to be up this early."

Slowly, he sat up in his bed and sighed.

"Come to see if I took the second vial, did you?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. Pausing, he smacked himself in the head with his palm in frustration. "Oh bloody hell! I've a bloody headache."

"Don't hit yourself then!" Kristina exclaimed. After a tense silence, she continued, "Yes, and uhm...I came for your lesson plans."

"My... _what_?" he glanced at her. "My lesson plans? Doesn't Meriwether—oh...dear...don't tell me...Meriwether's not teaching my classes?"

"Not really," Kristina shook her head. "Uhm...Professor Dumbledore appointed me as an acting professor, due to my remarkable skills in potion-making."

"Bloody hell! Fine, uhm..." Professor Snape pointed at his bags and coughed heavily into his arm right after. "In there...the...blue one." He coughed again.

As Kristina approached the bag, Professor Snape ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"The bumbling fool...really? Acting professor? Never in my life have I heard such a...a..." He was immediately cut off by a sneeze. Then, another. Followed by at least five more sneezes. When he finally finished, he inhaled sharply and sighed, "For the love of the gods..."

Kristina felt his pain. That  _had_ to be frustrating. When she caught his attention, she pointed at the bag he had pointed out.

"Yes, in there," he rasped.

Kristina nodded and opened it up. Stacked inside were plans for each class, made up for the first two weeks of school. Pulling it out, she transferred it all over to her own bag and sighed.

"I feel like absolute hell," he told her.

"Well then, lie back down," she told him gently.

Shaking his head, he gestured for her to sit by him again. Obeying, Kristina got up and left her bag in the middle of his floor and sat back down with him. Gently, he placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed her back.

"I sincerely apologize if you fall ill because of me," he apologized.

Kristina shrugged, "It'll be fine. It's always fine, right?"

Professor Snape tried to smile, "Certainly."

He put a hand on the back of her head and drew her close to give her a kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you, child," he thanked. "You go get my classes started. Come back with soup after the classes end, would ya?"

"What, you think you're going to be hungry in eight hours?" Kristina teased.

"Oh I'm certain, after the third dose I take," he nodded.

"Alright," Kristina stood up and grabbed her backpack. "I'm off, then, Uncle Severus."

Professor Snape nodded and laid back down on his bed. Kristina left to start the day.

X X X

Her first class was a bunch of terrified first year Gryffindors and puzzled first year Slytherins. Sighing, she leaned up against the wall and watched as they filtered into the classroom. Confused expressions were passed along the group and they all wondered if this cute-looking Ravenclaw girl was the scary Professor Snape they were warned so much about. After they all took their seats, they looked at her expectantly.

"Are you Professor Snape?" a red-head asked.

"No," Kristina replied softly. "I'm an acting professor, appointed by Professor Dumbledore himself. I'm...you guys could simply call me Kristina, but if you prefer I can accept Madam Magi or Professor Magi, if we would like to keep in the spirit of teaching."

"Yeah! I thought so, you're too pretty to be what our elder brother described!" the first child's twin brother grinned.

"And you two are?" Kristina asked them, ignoring his comment.

"Fred and George Weasley, at your service!" the first one, Fred, grinned.

"Hm, twins," Kristina commented. "Means double the trouble. Do me a favor, would ya? Don't piss off Professor Snape. He doesn't appreciate tricks and such."

"We make no guarantees, Kristina," George told her.

"Suppose not," Kristina agreed. "You're boys yet. Now, I suppose you all must be wondering: why is a student teaching potions? Well, as I mentioned Professor Dumbledore appointed me as an acting professor. The reason why is because of my formidable skills in potion-making. I got that from Professor Snape." After gaining some looks, she giggled. "I'm his cousin. He's kinda had a hand in raising me since I was born, and well now he's my guardian...after what happened last year..." Her gaze fell down. The students felt the air grow austere for a few moments.

"You lost your folks, huh?" Fred asked timidly after a few moments. "I remember...our father had brought home the articles. Your last name stood out to me in it."

Kristina nodded, "I did, Fred. I lost my mum and my dad. All I have left is my cousin Severus."

"That's really sad," George commented. "No one should have to deal with that."

"No, but sadly it is as the fates decided, and there isn't much we can do about it..." Kristina fell silent, and the classroom fell into a mourning silence with her.

"Anyway," she changed the subject as fast as she could. "I uh...I have his lesson plans. We are going to look at common tools in potion-making for this year today. Can anyone tell me the best type of cauldron to brew potions in? Anyone? What were you asked to buy? Pewter cauldrons!" And it was at that moment when Kristina realized that perhaps she really just was not cut out for teaching. However, she remained where she was. She had to keep going for Professor Snape, and for Professor Dumbledore.

X X X

The first day of teaching potions perhaps was the hardest yet. When Kristina finally returned to her dorm room after supper, she dropped her school bag and groaned with relief.

"Remind me to keep on the Auror track, Erin," Kristina pleaded.

"Hey Kristina, keep on the Auror track," Erin retorted.

Kristina rolled her eyes and went to sit down in her bed. Before she did, she noticed a gold glint in her covers. Reaching down, she scooped up the piece and stared at it in horror. Turning to Erin, she showed her the gold shard that she had chucked into the lake just the prior evening. Both girls stood in a horrified silence, staring at the shard.

"What the hell is it doing back in my bed?" Kristina finally asked.

"I don't know," Erin admitted. "You need to chuck that thing back again—"

"No, no," Kristina shook her head. "No, I'm going to see what I can do to destroy it. It's a cursed metal. It needs to be destroyed."

"Er, well...yes, that could work too..." Erin agreed. "Dunno."

"I'll ask Uncle Severus what to do," Kristina put it on her nightstand. "It's too late at night to do anything. I'm sure one night in my room isn't going to kill anyone."

"I sure hope you're right about that," Erin hoped.

"Well, if I'm not just sue me," Kristina grumbled, sitting down in her bed and pulling off her shoes. "Ugh. I hate kids...although, admittedly Fred and George Weasley may turn out to be interesting kids...Kinda cute little buggers, actually. But, I sense trouble with them...not in the bad way, but I know they're going to end up in detention. A lot. By Uncle Severus's hand."

"So we have five Weasleys?" Erin asked. "Sheesh. I feel bad for Professor Snape, honestly."

"Eh, he's probably dealt with worse," Kristina shrugged. "After all, he's got Tonks to teach."

Erin giggled, "That's true."

"Not that Tonks is a bad student, just definitely a troublemaker," Kristina blinked in thought.

"She is," Erin agreed.

Kristina laid down on her back, "Ugggghhhhhhhh I'm done for the night...I'll do my homework tomorrow...in class..."

"Alright, well...goodnight," Erin told her.

"Thanks," Kristina pulled up her blankets and tossed over onto her side. "Night."

X X X

The next day, Kristina brought the gold shard to her classes and waited for a chance to bring it to Professor Snape. However, it proved to be a near-fatal mistake for her that morning. While giving her students time at the end of class to begin their essays for her cousin, Kristina leaned against the wall and toyed with the shard in curiosity. A few moments into writing her essay, Tonks called over Kristina to ask her a question. Quickly, she shoved the shard into her pocket and rushed over to offer her help.

Although she did not recognize it at first, her limbs were growing weak and heavy by the minute. After standing hunched over Tonks for a few minutes, she stood up straight and her eyes began losing focus. Annoyed, she placed a hand on her forehead and Tonks glanced up at her, concerned.

"Kristina? Are you okay?" she wondered.

"I uh, er... perhaps I need to sit down..." she stammered. "S-Sorry, Tonks...I uh..."

Before Kristina could finish her train of thought, her vision blurred and she noticed dark spots pressing their way into her vision. The concern from the class could be heard, but not understood in her mind. Warmth flooded her as her knees buckled in on her and she fainted. Tonks tried to catch her, however, she was too late. Kristina fell and hit her head on the bookcase behind her and there was a collective gasp from the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students. Tonks crouched beside Kristina and glanced at her classmates.

"Well don't just stand there! Go get Madam Pomfrey!" she exclaimed angrily.

Two Hufflepuff boys and a Ravenclaw boy ran off to go get the nurse.

"OooooooOOOOOOoooooh looks like miss Krissy Kris did a fainty faint!" came a cackle.

"PEEVES!" Tonks exclaimed. "Wotcher! Aye, can you totally go inform Professor Snape in his room please?"

Peeves soared above head, cackling.

"I can disturb Snapey Snape? Wheeeeeeeee!" Peeves did a backflip. "I'll tell him what happened to his sweet little Krissy Kris! Still on for five, Tonksy Tonks?"

"Cut that stupid rhyming out and yes, we still can be," Tonks snapped.

"Ooooh Tonksy Tonks is mad at Peeves-y!" Peeves cackled as he dove through the dungeon walls to search for Professor Snape.

"Well I can't imagine why!" a Ravenclaw muttered in response.

It was less than five minutes before Professor Snape had appeared in his classroom. Everyone was startled to see him busting into his classroom in his pjs and night robes. Although he appeared to be fairly well, he still was struggling to keep on his feet and he was leaning heavily against the doorframe.

"Kristina!" he rasped with worry.

"Professor, take it easy," Tonks told him as he forced his way into his classroom to help Kristina.

"No!" he snapped, approaching Tonks.

"We've got her, we just wanted you to...oh no, Professor Snape please don't!" Tonks was surprised by his determination to aid. "You're not well enough!"

He crouched down and scooped up Kristina into his arms, "Kristina...Miss Tonks, what happened?"

"I dunno," Tonks admitted. "She was answering a question I had on the assignment and suddenly she looked light-headed...I tried to catch her, Professor. I really did."

Professor Snape placed a hand on her forehead and gasped in surprise. Her temperature was high.

"I know before she fainted she had a gold shard in her hands," a Ravenclaw told him. "Dunno if it had anything to do with it, but she was studying it pretty hard."

"Gold shard?" Professor Snape asked as Madam Pomfrey rushed into the classroom. "She...she threw that into the lake, I watched her. I'm missing something here..."

Perplexed, he silently cast, ' _accio shard_ ' and it shot out of one of her pockets and into his hand. Madam Pomfrey crouched beside him and Kristina and began taking her vitals. She caught sight of the shard in his hands and horror crossed her face as she realized what it was. Concerned, she snatched it out of Professor Snape's hand and studied it hard.

"This is a piece from the mask," she remarked. " _This_  is what made you ill, Severus. This piece was not transmuted properly, and it is just as cursed as that bloody mask."

Professor Snape stared at Madam Pomfrey in shock.

"If this isn't destroyed, she's going to  _die_  because it'll keep coming back and harming her," Madam Pomfrey declared.


	4. The Cursed Mask

**Chapter Four**   
_The Cursed Mask_

"Give me that!" Professor Snape snapped at Madam Pomfrey, snatching the gold shard back out of her hands. "Evanes—"

"It's not going to work," Madam Pomfrey warned him. "It'll come back."

"Then how else do we destroy it?" Professor Snape asked bitterly, coughing into his arm again.

"I'm going to take it to the alchemy teacher," Madam Pomfrey told him, taking the shard back. "He'll know what to do."

Moments later, Kristina stirred and groaned. Professor Snape's attention snapped back to her and he laid a gentle hand on her cheek. The students surrounding them watched as Professor Snape expressed genuine concern and even a gentler side than they were accustomed to. Anxious, they all watched Kristina and waited for her to sit up and assure them that she was going to be fine.

"Oh, Kristina..." he whispered.

"Gods I feel like a hippogriff ran me over..." Kristina finally muttered, trying to sit up.

Her body gave a violent shiver as she sat up, quickly losing the warmth she had from the floor. She hugged her sides and gave into the shivering. Professor Snape took off his robe and draped it over her shoulders, making sure she stayed warm.

"Sh-shit," Kristina realized. "Professor...no, no you should be resting... I've got this handled..."

"No you do not," Professor Snape glared. "You're sick."

"I'm going to take her to the hospital wing," Madam Pomfrey told Professor Snape, then turned to the students. "Class is dismissed. No more potions class for today, tell your friends."

"Allow me to help!" Professor Snape insisted. "Please...Madam Pomfrey..."

"Man, I've never seen Professor Snape care about someone so much," Tonks admitted in a quiet voice.

"Fine," Madam Pomfrey placed her hands on her hips. "But if you exhaust yourself, it's your fault."

"Thank you," Professor Snape inclined his head as he scooped Kristina up into his arms.

Kristina let out a surprised 'eek'.

"Severus! I can walk on my own!" she groaned.

Snape scoffed, "And you think I trust you to walk after you just fainted? You're a silly girl."

"It's for the best," Madam Pomfrey told her with a gentle tone.

"Sure she likes it anyway," shrugged a Hufflepuff boy, then when his friends snickered his face turned red. "No, you jerks! That's not what I meant—oh forget it..."

"I can't believe she fainted," whispered a Ravenclaw. "I hope she's okay. Right, Madam Pomfrey? She's going to be okay, right?"

"Yes, Yennefer," Madam Pomfrey smiled gently. "I'll ensure that she is okay."

"I hope she can finish guiding me on the homework," Tonks hoped.

"Mmm, perhaps not soon," Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "If you have questions, direct them to Professor Snape, or Professor Moses. Kristina will be in no shape to respond to your questions."

"I-I can answer them..." Kristina groaned.

"Silence, child," Professor Snape grumbled.

X X X

Later that day, Professor Snape brought back a bowl of hot chicken noodle soup for Kristina to sip on. Although she appeared fine, Professor Snape knew it was feigned. The reason she was feigning it was so that she could appear strong to him. Professor Snape knew better than that: after all, he has been with her ever since he came home from graduation day at Hogwarts sixteen years ago.

When Professor Snape approached her bed with the bowl, she was reading her Alchemy textbook. Even when she was sick, she knew she could not afford to lose precious study time. Peeking up, he noticed Madam Pomfrey approaching her bed and she raised up a scolding finger.

"Kristina, put down the book. Your classes can wait, your illness cannot," she scolded. "Besides, your cousin is here with soup; I'd like you to have a full belly when you rest up soon."

Kristina finally glanced up from her book, appearing annoyed that she was being disturbed by reading. However, after a severe coughing fit she threw down the book and sighed.

"You're right, Madam Pomfrey," she yielded.

Madam Pomfrey picked up her book, "I'll hold onto this until you are better. Severus?"

Professor Snape inclined his head as Madam Pomfrey turned around and stalked away with Kristina's textbook. That was when he approached Kristina with the bowl of soup. Awkwardly, he set the bowl in her lap. From the time he had left and the time he'd returned, apparently she had been changed into her PJs. She must have cast a spell to replace her outfit with something different. Either that, or someone brought her a set of her PJs.

"Eat up," he told her in a soft voice. "I expect you to listen to your own advice."

Kristina cracked an amused smile, "If I didn't, I'd be a hypocrite. And you didn't help raise a hypocrite."

"You're right," Professor Snape agreed. Then, he placed his hands on his hips and narrowed his eyes at her, "However, I had a hand in raising a stubborn girl."

"I'm not going to even try denying that," Kristina grumbled, lifting the spoon and bringing it to her lips to sip the hot soup.

"Good," Professor Snape nodded.

"Uncle Severus..." she started after a brief coughing fit. "I need to know more about the mask. Why was it locked in this school? Who brought it here? And what the hell does it want with me?"

"Kristina, those are questions you musn't worry about right now," Professor Snape told her. "You need to let your mind rest."

"I know I shouldn't...but I can't help it..." she scowled at herself. "I feel like I have to. Uncle Severus, Madam Pomfrey hasn't taken the shard to Professor Ripley yet."

"Yes, I know," Professor Snape poked her side. "Because she's been stuck here looking after your stubborn ass!"

"I think she's trying to get you to bring the shard to Professor Ripley," Madam Pomfrey returned. "And, I agree. Would you be so kind, Severus?"

Professor Snape inclined his head, "I would be, Madam Pomfrey. Bring me the shard, and I shall have him destroy it."

Madam Pomfrey reached into her apron and pulled the shard out, "I'm ahead of you, Severus."

Professor Snape took the shard back, gently this time.

"Thank you," he thanked and turned back to Kristina, planting a gentle kiss on her head. "You rest up. And finish your soup before it gets cold."

"Yes, Severus..." Kristina grumbled.

"I'll be back before I go to bed," he assured her. "Alright, child?"

"Mhm," Kristina nodded.

"I'll try to get her to rest," Madam Pomfrey promised. "May need to use a sleeping draught on her."

"You have my permission to give her a sleeping draught," Professor Snape smirked.

"Not that I needed your permission, but I appreciate having it," Madam Pomfrey retorted.

Professor Snape nodded and turned around to leave.

X X X

Professor Snape hunted down Professor Antimony Ripley. He was not the easiest to find, especially since he did not eat with the teachers very often. After asking around, he finally found him in the teacher's lounge. Holding the gold shard tight in his hand, he proceeded into the room and stalked up to Professor Ripley. The man was about five-foot-ten, appeared sickly thin, and his greying golden hair was unkempt and greasy. If it was even possible, his hair was even more greasy than Professor Snape's, and that took skill. He had jade green eyes that rested behind glasses, had a pallid complexion, and sunken cheeks and a goatee and mustache.

"Antimony?" Professor Snape gathered the courage to greet.

Antimony glanced up at Professor Snape, surprised.

"Severus, it's a surprise to see you—oh, well! No! Not at all, not a surprise, actually," Antimony realized. "You're Miss Magi's cousin. Although, you're not here to see her grades, are you? She hasn't had a chance to appear in class yet! How is the lass? I was looking forward to her wits in my class."

"Er, that's the problem," Professor Snape admitted and passed over the gold shard. "Professor...do you recognize this piece?"

"Oh, Antimony, please!" Antimony grinned as he took the shard. "Hm. Perhaps transmuted from lead: it's definitely heavy. A crystalline structure...It looks to be the work of Orion Magi. Oh yes, I had the pleasure of teaching him my first two years as professor! Excellent student, the brightest I knew for many years. I hope his protegé is as brilliant as he is. Oh, how that was but so long ago... Anyway, what about this piece, Severus?"

"I have reason to believe it came from the cursed mask," Professor Snape told him. "It's made me ill, and made Kristina ill as well. It first appeared in her bed before we left the house on Sunday. Later that night when we arrived, she threw it into the lake. The next day, she found the shard in her bed again. She originally intended to take this to you after my classes...however...she fainted and is with Madam Pomfrey right now."

"Has made you two ill?" Antimony gasped.

Professor Snape nodded curtly.

"I'm..." Antimony stared at the shard. "I say, it should be destroyed right away! However, I'd like to study it first."

"I'd rather it be destroyed," Professor Snape grumbled. "Perhaps it'd help Kristina recover quickly."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, but I suppose hope never hurt anybody..." Antimony twitched the corner of his mouth as he stood up with the shard.

"What's the history of the cursed mask?" Professor Snape asked.

"I don't know...I suppose Orion had begun questioning me about masks in his seventh year," Antimony admitted, leading Professor Snape out of the room. "Masks make in alchemy can be about as effective as casting a spell on oneself, or as muggles would say, it gives you 'superpowers'. Not that it really is much different from that concept. Yes, I've studied the muggle concepts such as superheroes. Entertaining to say the very least."

Not interested, Professor Snape offered an impatient yawn to Professor Ripley.

"Get to the point," he responded in a cold tone.

"Impatience is not your color," Antimony told him with a glint of humor in his eyes.

"Color me irritated, then," Professor Snape retorted.

"Oh Severus, you are the same as you were when you were her age," Antimony commented. "I've a furnace. I'll liquify it. Try to transmute it into something better. I hope that will undo the curse on the two of you."

"You hope..." Professor Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Sometimes, these things can be difficult, and well the transmutation takes a bit of time," Antimony admitted.

"Well, take however much time you need," Professor Snape admitted. "I don't care, as long as it gets destroyed and leaves her alone."

Antimony nodded in agreement, "You have my word, Severus."

"I hope I do," Professor Snape nodded. "Now...I must..." Professor Snape doubled over in a coughing fit.

"Go rest, I hope?" Antimony teased.

Professor Snape glared up in irritation through his greasy hair but lost it in another fit of coughing.

"You renewed your illness by touching this, go back," Antimony told him. "Or else Madam Pomfrey will keep you bedridden."

Professor Snape scowled and left the room.

X X X

Antimony was right: Madam Pomfrey announced he would be bedridden, right beside Kristina as well. He slumped back in the bed, crossed his arms, and groaned in frustration. However, as soon as he looked at Kristina, he calmed down a little bit. On her side, one arm under the pillow and a blanket pulled right up to her neck. From what he could tell, however, it was not as peaceful as he thought at first. Her face was screwed up with worry.

"Kristina?" he whispered. "Wake up."

She did not wake up.

"Kristina," he said, even louder this time.

She did not stir. Now Professor Snape's frustration melted away completely and turned into worry for his cousin. Worry made him focus on her face and perform nonverbal legilimency on her. He focused as hard as he could, making sure his illness would not impede his attempts. Slowly, her voice filtered into his mind and he soon found himself mentally standing in her dreams. He was hidden behind something, and it took him moments to realize that she had dreamt about their home back in Spinner's End and he was hiding behind the chair in the living room.

"No! You will leave us alone!" Kristina yelled at someone.

"Yit ye deny yerself th' temptations?" an unfamiliar voice responded cooly.

"I don't care about power! Neither does Severus!" Kristina snapped.

"Incredibly stoaner tae believe," the voice continued. "A human nae guttin' fur power?"

"I don't want whatever you have to offer," Kristina responded. "Nothing. Whatever I need, I can use my wand for or make a potion for."

"Yer great-grandfaither seemed tae disagree," the voice sneered.

"Well that's him," Kristina snapped. "Considering you killed him after he finished you! Although, I suppose if that had not happened, my great-uncle Tobias would never have been born, and my cousin Severus would never have been born. But either which way! You killed Orion. No power is worth another person's life."

"If ye dinnae," the voice started. "Ah will fin' a way."

"I'll prepare myself," Kristina told it.

Professor Snape peered around the chair and saw that there was a strange mask: reminding him of a viking's mask, floating near Kristina. Behind him was a zombified person he vaguely recognized.

"Orion, please, you have to recognize that you are separate from this mask!" Kristina pleaded with the zombie. "You need to detach yourself and go to live in the afterlife in peace. Don't you see? The mask is holding you hostage but you can escape."

"Dornt bortha talkin' tae heem, ye dimwit," the mask sneered. "He cannae hear ye."

Insulted, Kristina clenched her fists and glared at the mask.

"I'm going to find out as much information as I can about you and I will hunt you down and destroy you myself," Kristina snarled.

"Ye can try but ye gotta catch me first!" the mask laughed. "Orion! Lat at 'er! Pin 'er doon! Make 'er gie in tae th' temptations ay power: th' power ay life, sickness, an' death!"

It was a mask of life, sickness, and death! That is a lot of power for one pathetic mask, Professor Snape mused.

"No! No!" Kristina screamed, taking a step back. "You are not going to touch me. Orion, snap out of it!"

Orion remained silent as he took a step forward. Professor Snape knew he had to get her out of this before Orion could obey the mask. Kristina took out her wand and tried using confringo on the mask. Before she could, there was a sudden change in the energy surrounding them. That was when Professor Snape knew it was now or never: the mask and Orion were putting their energy together to blast Kristina into the temptation. Snape sprung into action and he bolted over to Kristina.

"No! Kristina!"

As he approached her, he held out his arms and tackled her down to the ground, bolting both of them out of the dream. When he snapped out of his thoughts, he realized that he had tackled her right off her bed and Madam Pomfrey was trying to pry them apart to send back to their beds. Kristina's denim-blue eyes peered up at Snape as she realized what was going on, however, she was looking fairly delirious compared to the last time he saw her.

"Severus!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed. "What in Merlin's name were you doing?!"

Professor Snape slapped her hand away and hugged Kristina, breathing a sigh of relief.

"For the love of the gods, child," he rasped, ignoring Madam Pomfrey's annoyed sigh.

"Severus? What were you doing...how did you..." Kristina coughed, jerking her head up and bonking Snape right in the forehead.

Professor Snape jerked back, unconsciously letting go of Kristina and he rubbed his forehead.

"OWCH," he groaned.

"You two," Madam Pomfrey shook her head in amusement.

"I had to intrude, you were worried..." Professor Snape finally recovered from the pain and sat up straight. "I thought it was a bad dream...I was right. I saved your neck!"

"She's running a fever, please let her up," Madam Pomfrey ordered him.

"I feel fine...I gotta go...Questions...I want to ask Dumbledore..." Kristina struggled to sit up and she forced herself to her feet.

"No!" Professor Snape tried to stop her.

Kristina groaned and forced her way through, "I have to! He knows someone who can help me locate the mask!"

"Back in your bed," Professor Snape helped her stand up and he tucked her back into the bed. "Do not argue with me. You can do all of that after you recover."

Kristina mumbled something indistinct as Madam Pomfrey brought over a calming draught and made her drink it. Professor Snape attempted to soothe his young cousin as Madam Pomfrey made her drink the draught.

"Sh, sh, child," Professor Snape told her. "Calm down. Everything is going to be alright..."

Moments passed before she calmed down. Both Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey breathed a sigh of relief.

"She is worse when she's ill," Professor Snape grumbled, placing a hand on his forehead. "The little shit."

Madam Pomfrey turned to him, "Perhaps it runs in the family, wouldn't you say?"

Professor Snape's face flushed—not that he had much color to his face to begin with—and moments later red colored his pale cheeks. Madam Pomfrey giggled and she guided him back to his bed.

"You need to get well too—not just Kristina. I believe you two will be perfectly fine in a couple of days, but please take it easy," she pleaded. "It'll make my job a lot easier if you two take it easy."

Much to her surprise, however, she saw a few children come in about as sick as Kristina and Snape. She rushed over to aid them and Professor Snape was left to reflect his own thoughts. Lying down, he pulled his blanket back over himself and ignored the sounds of Madam Pomfrey and the other children coughing. How were there more students sick? Was it a coincidence, or was the mask causing this? If it was, how was it doing so? What was going on?

Thinking back to Kristina's dream, although he saw Orion Magi—and he looked vaguely familiar—Professor Snape thought he was not wearing the mask. However, as he examined the scene again he realized that perhaps the mask was giving the illusion to trick Kristina. What if the mask was not separate from Orion? If that was the case, did that mean Orion's ghost has worn the mask ever since he passed away and no one ever suspected it? Perhaps that was the only way the mask could have escaped from Hogwarts. But where had it been hidden? Who had hidden it? Most of all, who found it and brought it to Hogwarts?


End file.
